Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 341 The Path of Science is the Ultimate Principle of Buddhism!

In Tibetan Buddhism, "Shambhala" is a legendary holy land located in the northern part of Jambudvipa (the southern continent of the Southern Continent).

There, spring-like weather prevails year-round; there is no poverty or disease, and fragrant fruits abound! Almost every Buddhist in Tibet yearns for this place.

Yeli's mention of "Shangri-La" clearly demonstrates the extent of his shock at greenhouse vegetables.

The Central Plains dynasties have historically had some experience with off-season vegetables, such as "roof vegetables," "hot spring vegetable gardens," and "cellar cultivation."

But for Tibet, this was a miracle they had never seen before.

Compared to things like "rooftop vegetables" or "cellar cultivation," this greenhouse is on a completely different level.

Compared to the freezing cold and snow-covered landscape outside, it was like heaven and earth, leaving the Tibetan envoys deeply moved.

At this moment of showing off, Zhang Yunxiu was naturally sensible and gave the opportunity to the Wanli Emperor, secretly taking a few steps back to give Wanli room to perform.

Upon hearing the trembling voice of the Tibetan envoy, Wanli could barely contain his laughter. He managed to suppress it and spoke with a stern face.

"How dare you! Would our Great Ming Dynasty stoop to such deception?"

Yeli was terrified and immediately prostrated himself in respect, disregarding the mud on his body, and said very sincerely.

"Your Majesty, I was in a hurry and beg your forgiveness. However, this greenhouse really resembles the 'Shambhala' described in our Buddhist scriptures, which is why we lost our composure."

"That makes sense. I will forgive your rudeness."

The Wanli Emperor raised his head and puffed out his belly, exuding a truly majestic air.

They dared not raise their heads: "We beg Your Majesty the Emperor to enlighten us and relieve the calamity in our hearts!"

The dozens of Tibetan envoys who followed also knelt down and bowed, their piety comparable to that of worshipping Buddha.

Emperor Wanli squinted his eyes, casually picked up a cucumber—a move he was already quite adept at—and handed it to Yeli.

"Whether it's true or false, you've seen it with your own eyes and heard it with your own ears. Now, taste it yourself, and you'll know for sure, won't you?"

The Tibetan envoys all looked up, their expressions burning with desire as they gazed at the cucumber, some even with an urge to snatch it away.

To them, this was no different from the sacred fruit of Buddhism, but due to the majesty of the Wanli Emperor, no one dared to make a move.

"This"

Yeli's hands trembled slightly as he spoke in disbelief.

"Is this for me? Is this truly a gift to me, Your Majesty!"

Compared to Buddhism in Central China, Buddhism in Tibet is much more deeply rooted. Almost everyone there chants scriptures and recites Buddhist mantras, and their devotion to the Buddha has reached an unparalleled level.

With the wonders of "Shambhala" before us, eating the Buddha's fruit from "Shambhala" is an excellent opportunity to accumulate merit and blessings!
Faced with this "gift," Yeli was even a little overwhelmed with gratitude.

Emperor Wanli frowned, shoved the cucumber into the other person's arms, and said.

"Just take it, why are you being so hesitant?"

"Hesitant?"

In Yeli's eyes, nowadays, even a single sentence from the Wanli Emperor seems to have become Buddhist doctrine.

Yeli's hands trembled as he held the cucumber, seemingly having gained some kind of enlightenment, and he began to mutter to himself.

"One should not let the mind dwell on form, nor should one let the mind dwell on sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects."

"Blind turtles finding floating log holes"

“Sudatta built the Jetavana Monastery.”

After muttering something, Yeli's eyes seemed to harden.

He was completely absorbed, his eyes filled with intense longing, as he brought the cucumber to his mouth.

This action also stirred the hearts of the other Tibetan envoys. They almost stood up and rushed forward, but in the end they knelt down again, their eyes fixed on the cucumber in Yeli's hand.

Yeli closed his eyes, and as he took a bite of the cucumber, he felt the juice bursting out. The sweet juice filled his mouth, bringing a cool and refreshing sensation.

One bite, two bites, three bites.

Yeli tried hard to restrain herself, but she still ate very quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the cucumber was gone.

However, as he ate, he suddenly lost that feeling.

Suddenly, I realized that this cucumber was utterly ordinary, just a common fruit, only a little tastier.

"Could it be that"

However, Yeli suddenly looked up and saw the vast expanse of white snow in the mountains outside the greenhouse. Everything was withered except for the greenhouse, which was full of spring. One cucumber after another hung on the vines, and the abundant appearance seemed like a dream.

He fell into a daze.

Upon seeing this, Emperor Wanli smiled and slowly spoke.

"Yeli, what do you think of these greenhouse cucumbers in Xishan?"

Compared to the cultivation of other fruits and vegetables, cucumbers are obviously more mature. After multiple iterations of cultivation, their flavor has surpassed that of the normal season.

Upon hearing this, Yeli seemed to wake from a dream. He knelt down again with a thud, his face full of sincerity, and clasped his hands together.

"Thank you for Your Majesty's grace. I, your humble servant, have taken the liberty of establishing a connection with Buddhism and dare not show the slightest disrespect. This melon grows in the dead of winter, when all things wither and life is dormant. It nourishes in dire straits and brings hope in distress. It is truly a 'fruit of salvation'!"

His answer was delivered in one breath, with almost no pause.

"When you first taste it, it is as sweet as honey, which goes straight to your heart and soul. All your restlessness is washed away and you feel clear-headed. This kind of pure and sweet taste can only be compared to the nectar in front of the hot West Sea!
Upon reflection, a faint, lingering bitterness quietly crept in, leaving the foreign official somewhat perplexed.

Yeli paused, his gaze becoming even more resolute.

"But I suddenly had an epiphany: life is full of eight sufferings and all things are impermanent. If there is no bitterness to awaken us, how can there be sweetness? This melon is just like the fruit of 'Shambhala,' embodying the profound meaning of the Buddhist teachings on reincarnation and the stages of spiritual practice!"

His words were so sincere that even the Wanli Emperor was taken aback. It was the first time he had ever heard someone praise greenhouse fruits in such a fancy way. He thought the lama was a bit deluded and shook his head with a smile.

"You believe this to be Buddhist teaching?"

Yeli nodded firmly and said, "Such a miracle could not have occurred without the Buddha's teachings!"

Upon hearing this, the envoys watching outside inevitably became noisy.

"How can melons and fruits ripen in winter?"

"This is truly unheard of. Could it be that the Buddha has manifested himself?"

"The Ming Dynasty truly has a Living Buddha! Should we kneel or not?"

The envoys from the vassal states were mostly shocked.

But the Ming officials looked as if they had eaten shit.

What a disgrace! Zhang Yunxiu wasn't satisfied with deceiving his own people, and now he's even trying to fool envoys from vassal states! If this is exposed, where will the face of the Ming emperor and his officials be?
"The Grand Secretary?" Yu Youding looked worried.

"No rush, just wait."

Zhang Juzheng spoke softly, his gaze fixed on Zhang Yunxiu, his eyes growing increasingly profound.

Emperor Wanli, however, had not yet reacted. With a smug look on his face, he crossed his arms and said to Zhang Yunxiu, "Shiyuan, you should explain this scientific way to him properly. It seems that the Tibetan envoy has some misunderstandings."

In Wanli’s eyes, the small country of Cuo’er was naturally less knowledgeable. This greenhouse-grown melons and fruits were actually misunderstood as “Buddha’s incarnation” or “Shambhala’s sacred fruit”. If Buddha was useful, what would be the point of having an emperor?
Emperor Wanli and Zhang Yunxiu had already agreed that during today's tour, the emperor would be responsible for the presentations, while Zhang Yunxiu would be responsible for the verbal introductions.

But Zhang Yunxiu's face lost its playful demeanor, and he adopted an extremely serious expression, even using different words than before.

"Your Majesty has forgotten that the Tibetan envoy had no misunderstanding. The Dharma is the path of science, and the path of science is the necessary path to achieving the Dharma. They are different paths leading to the same goal and are not different at all!"

Emperor Wanli, who had been smiling, froze upon hearing this. He turned his head sharply and looked at Zhang Yunxiu in disbelief, as if to say, "Why didn't you read the script?! How am I supposed to respond?!"

But then he saw Zhang Yunxiu blinking repeatedly, and Emperor Wanli, glancing at the Tibetan envoys with their heads bowed in devout prayer, suddenly realized something. "Ah!" Emperor Wanli exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "I almost forgot, Buddhism and science do have a connection, hahahaha~"

He let out a dry laugh, but didn't know how to make it up, and glanced at Zhang Yunxiu.

Zhang Yunxiu remained calm and composed, and looked at Yeli and said.

"Does the Ambassador know the relationship between science and Buddhism?"

Yeli paused for a moment, his eyes full of seeking advice, then shook his head and said.

"This humble subject is unaware of the matter; I humbly request Lord Zhang's guidance."

Zhang Yunxiu said with a smile: "Buddhists often say that 'the path of the inferior person is to renounce evil and do good,' 'the path of the middle person is to transcend the suffering of reincarnation,' and 'the path of the superior person is to cultivate Bodhicitta.'"

The meaning of Bodhicitta should be thoroughly understood by the ambassador, shouldn't it?

Yeli suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock.

To be honest, the moment Zhang Yunxiu said "science is Buddhism," he felt some resistance.

Even with this "miracle" before him, Zhang Yunxiu's words still felt deliberate and offensive.

However, from these words, it can be concluded that Zhang Yunxiu is familiar with Buddhist teachings, and that they are not even from Central China, but from Tibet.

However, there has never been any rumor that this person is proficient in Buddhism. Could he be a reincarnation of a "living Buddha"? Is he born with a deep understanding of Buddhist principles?

After this guess came to mind, Ye Li couldn't help but shiver, and his tone became even more sincere.

"Lord Zhang has a profound understanding of Buddhism. This Bodhicitta is the accumulation of merit and wisdom through the Six Perfections, which is to liberate all sentient beings."

It boils down to two points.

Zhang Yunxiu had countless pieces of information in his head that he could use to argue with the other party, and said with a calm expression.

"First, altruism; second, universal salvation."

Upon hearing this, Ye Li got goosebumps and looked up at Zhang Yunxiu.

"Which eminent monk did you study under, sir? Or perhaps you yourself..."

He couldn't help but be shocked. This was an ancient society with limited access to information. In fact, compared to the Ming Dynasty, the spread of Buddhist teachings in Tibet was even more confined to a small circle.

Without the guidance of eminent monks, almost no one could have a profound understanding of Tibetan Buddhist doctrines, yet he was precisely that.
Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "I have never studied under anyone."

"A sudden realization?" Yeli frowned deeply. "Or are you referring to the master?"

Zhang Yunxiu narrowed his eyes. He had no intention of becoming a "Living Buddha" in Tibet, and instead changed the subject.

"It is not a sudden enlightenment, but rather different paths leading to the same destination."

"Please enlighten me, sir!" Yelina bowed deeply.

Zhang Yunxiu looked down at the Tibetan envoys and slowly said, "Buddhism emphasizes saving all sentient beings, and so does our scientific way; Buddhism teaches to abandon evil and do good, and so does our scientific way, which emphasizes eliminating erroneous methods and situations through experimentation; Buddhism teaches to escape the cycle of reincarnation, and our scientific way is to create something new and transcend past cycles of reincarnation."

"May I ask the Ambassador, isn't this path of science the same as the path of Buddhism?"

"This"

Yeli was stunned by what Zhang Yunxiu said. This kind of rhetoric would be sophistry to others, but it was completely different to Buddhists.

Most importantly, he had just witnessed a "miracle".

The appearance of these fruits and vegetables has already exceeded his comprehension!
He had only heard of the so-called "scientific" way and had no real concept of it, so after Zhang Yunxiu's explanation, he actually felt that the two were similar.

“But…” Yeli was clearly not so easily convinced. He looked up at Zhang Yunxiu, his brows furrowed deeply. “How can this scientific path save all living beings?”

"The eight sufferings of life".

Zhang Yunxiu remained calm and composed as he slowly emphasized his words.

"It is nothing more than the suffering of birth, the suffering of old age, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death, the suffering of separation from loved ones, the suffering of being with those one hates, the suffering of not getting what one wants, and the suffering of the five aggregates burning intensely!"

My scientific path can save lives, save the dying, slow aging, cure diseases, clarify matters and ease separation, clarify love and hate, and study form, feeling, pleasure, perception, volition, and consciousness!
Has the ambassador not seen clearly after all this time?
The true essence of Buddhism is right before your eyes; why then does the ambassador pass by his home three times without entering?

"Passing by his home three times without entering! Passing by his home three times without entering!"

Yeli took several steps back, repeating the same phrase over and over.

These words were like a slap in the face, striking Yeli hard on the forehead, instantly clearing his mind.

My mind began to race with what I had seen and thought during this trip.

In the capital of the Ming Dynasty, the people lived in peace and contentment. Fireworks lit up the sky, and everyone's face was radiant with a bright red smile.

At Renmin Medical Clinic, the doctors' skillful hands brought the dead back to life, earning the gratitude of ordinary people.

Furthermore, in the western mountains, the people do not pick up lost items on the road, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard in the villages. Everyone's face is full of contentment and hope.

His gaze finally settled on the cucumber.

Yes, if there were a way to solve all these problems and free all beings from suffering, how could it not be called Buddhism! How could it not be called universal salvation!
However, this statement still had too much of an impact on Yeli and the others, and he still needed a final convincing argument.

Yeli turned his head, kowtowed several times to the Wanli Emperor, and asked anxiously.

"Your Majesty, is this all true? Can your country's scientific methods truly save all living beings? Science is the Dharma. If the people of Tibet are nourished by science, can they, like the people of Xishan, escape the cycle of suffering?"

Emperor Wanli was startled. He looked at Zhang Yunxiu with great admiration, let out a heavy sigh, and then nodded.

"It is absolutely true that science can indeed enable people to live in peace and prosperity and make the world rich."

What he said was not wrong at all, but he just didn't mention Buddhist principles.

However, in Yeli's eyes, it meant something completely different, and he said in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty! Can we Tibetans also learn the ways of science in the Western Mountains?"

Emperor Wanli glanced helplessly at Zhang Yunxiu beside him. Could he still say no now?
He nodded and said.

"It's natural."

A fanaticism instantly ignited in Yeli's eyes, and his forehead bled from the banging.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The Tibetan envoys behind them were also overjoyed, each weeping with happiness, and they prostrated themselves before Wanli and Zhang Yunxiu.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, Lord Zhang!"

Upon seeing this, Zhang Yunxiu immediately went all out and loudly addressed the envoys not far away.

"My lords, not only Tibet, but also all other vassal states and foreign lands, as long as they are devoted to our science and our great Ming Dynasty, they will surely be able to transcend the cycle of suffering and achieve ultimate bliss!"

For a moment, the envoys had different expressions. They looked at the completely convinced Tibetan envoys with either expectation or apprehension in their eyes.

But for the officials of the Ming Dynasty, this was undoubtedly a torment.

Their lips twitched, but they dared not utter a sound.

What on earth is Zhang Yunxiu doing?!
Yu Youding was completely at a loss. He mechanically turned to Zhang Juzheng and asked.

"Minister, is this also part of the arrangement?"

Zhang Juzheng glanced at the other person and said calmly.

"Putting everything else aside, the Golden Urn lottery can be put on the agenda."

(End of this chapter)